AFRICA: The Russian embassy in Sudan said that two pilots were kidnapped in Darfur on 29JAN.

AMERICAS: Local media in Canada reported that Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will step down and does not intend to seek reelection.

ASIA: Officials said that South Korea and China are to resume talks this week on efforts to curb North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

EUROPE: The International Court of Justice ruled that Serbia and Croatia did not commit acts of genocide against each other during the Balkan wars.

MIDDLE EAST: Israeli PM Netanyahu said the UN commission investigating potential war crimes in Gaza should be scrapped now that its head has resigned amid accusations of bias.

TECHNOLOGY: US FCC Chairman Wheeler said he intends to seek a significant expansion of his agency’s authority to regulate mobile and fixed broadband providers, a move that would fully embrace the principle known as “net neutrality.”

Egypt: Police defused two bombs overnight at Cairo International Airport, as an explosive in downtown Cairo detonated without wounding anyone. (AP)

Kenya: The country obtained nearly USD700 million worth of precautionary loan support from the IMF ahead of economic reforms. (AFP)

Kenya: The government vowed to lobby more African countries to sign a protocol on the establishment of an African Court of Justice and Human Rights. (Xinhua)

Sudan: The Russian embassy said that two Russian pilots were kidnapped in Darfur on 29JAN. (AFP)

AMERICAS

Brazil: President Rousseff defended her government’s planned spending cuts, claiming the measures will be implemented gradually to avoid sparking a recession. (Xinhua)

Canada: Local media reported that Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird will step down and does not intend to seek reelection. (AFP)

Cuba: State media released the first photographs of former President Fidel Castro to be published in nearly six months in a bid to quiet rumors that his health is failing. (AFP)

United States: Congressional sources reported that lawmakers are preparing a series of bills to ease restrictions on trade with Cuba, with plans to introduce them in the Senate in the next two months. (Reuters)

ASIA

Region: Officials said that South Korea and China are to resume talks this week on efforts to curb North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. (AFP)

Afghanistan: US officials said that the US military will publicly release information about its aid for Afghan forces, after coming under criticism for declaring the data top secret. (AFP)

Korea, South: An Army sergeant was sentenced to death for killing five of his fellow conscripts and wounding seven others in a shooting in June. (NYT)

Pakistan: A roadside bomb in Kurram killed at least four troops. (AFP)

EUROPE

Region: The International Court of Justice ruled that Serbia and Croatia did not commit acts of genocide against each other during the Balkan wars. (BBC)

France: Interior Minister Cazeneuve reported that police arrested eight people suspected of involvement in an alleged network that sent people to Syria to assist militants. (AFP)

Greece: European Commission chief Juncker said that Brussels will not change all of its rules just to solve the country’s debt crisis ahead of a meeting with PM Tsipras. (AFP)

Italy: Sergio Mattarella, a Sicilian constitutional court judge closely associated with the fight against organized crime, was sworn in as the country’s new President. (AFP)

MIDDLE EAST

Region: US Secretary Kerry praised Qatar for its help in trying to resolve the crisis in Yemen. (AFP)

Iran: Senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi said the country’s missile program was not included in the nuclear talks with world powers. (Xinhua)

Iraq: The cabinet approved two draft laws, one creating a national guard and the other reforming government policies towards ex-members of the Baath party. (Reuters)

Israel: PM Netanyahu said the UN commission investigating potential war crimes in Gaza should be scraped now that its head has resigned amid accusations of bias. (AP)

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS

Communications: US FCC Chairman Wheeler said he intends to seek a significant expansion of his agency’s authority to regulate mobile and fixed broadband providers, a move that would fully embrace the principle known as “net neutrality.” (WSJ)